The Age of Exploration The Middle Passage

Aim: How were Africans treated on their passage to the New World? Do Now Who is mostly to blame for the Atlantic Slave Trade; the African tribes for capturing slaves, the slave merchants for selling slaves, or the Europeans for buying slaves? Explain your answer fully.

Aim: How were Africans treated on their passage to the New World? Why was the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean known as the Middle Passage?

Aim: How were Africans treated on their passage to the New World? The Middle Passage The Second Leg of the Triangular Trade between Europe, Africa, and the Americas From 1500 – 1800 millions of African slaves were forced onto ships and crossed the Atlantic Ocean

Aim: How were Africans treated on their passage to the New World? Describe the conditions that slaves faced aboard a typical slave ship. What health problems might these conditions lead to?

Aim: How were Africans treated on their passage to the New World? The Middle Passage Conditions Aboard the Ships Hundreds of slaves were packed into slave ships with little or no room to move

Aim: How were Africans treated on their passage to the New World? Document #3 Questions What did slaves fear Europeans were going to do to them? Why did slaves refuse to eat aboard these long journeys? Why did the slave traders force slaves to eat?

Aim: How were Africans treated on their passage to the New World? The Middle Passage Conditions Aboard the Ships Hundreds of slaves were packed into slave ships with little or no room to move Slaves were terrified that they were going to be eaten by slave-buying cannibals Many refused to eat and were force-fed

Aim: How were Africans treated on their passage to the New World? Document #4 Questions Explain what the underlined passage means. What other problem did African women face during the Middle Passage?

Aim: How were Africans treated on their passage to the New World? The Middle Passage Conditions Aboard the Ships Hundreds of slaves were packed into slave ships with little or no room to move Slaves were terrified that they were going to be eaten by slave-buying cannibals Many refused to eat and were force-fed The officers (and crew) of slave ships sexually abused female slaves

Aim: How were Africans treated on their passage to the New World? Document #5 Questions Approximately 20% of all slaves died during the Middle Passage. Why?

Aim: How were Africans treated on their passage to the New World? The Middle Passage Conditions Aboard the Ships Hundreds of slaves were packed into slave ships with little or no room to move Slaves were terrified that they were going to be eaten by slave-buying cannibals Many refused to eat and were force-fed The officers (and crew) of slave ships sexually abused female slaves Lack of hygiene and disease caused by overcrowding caused more than 20% of all slaves to die while crossing

Aim: How were Africans treated on their passage to the New World? Summary It is undisputed that the Middle Passage was a horror for those who were taken and shipped like cattle to the New World. However, there has been much debate about compensating descendants of those slaves for their suffering. Answer the following questions: Should descendants of African slaves be compensated for the horrors of the Middle Passage? If yes, explain in one paragraph HOW they should be compensated; If no, explain in one paragraph WHY they should not be compensated.